Folding stool



(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J BRIGGS.

I FOLDING STOOL.

No. 4272,853 Patented Feb. 27,1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA BRIGGS, OF PETERBOROUG-H, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

FOLDING STOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,853, dated February 27, 1823.

Application filed October 31, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSHUA BRIGGS, of Peterborough. county of Hillsborough, State of New Hampshire, have invented an 1m provement in Folding Stools, of which the following descript1on,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention has for its object the production of a stool more especially designed for a piano-stool.

My improved stool has a seat hinged at one side and made adjustable, so as to place the seat in a horizontal plane, or hold it in adj ustedpos tion above or below a horizontal plane. The seat is hinged upon legs which fold together, thus enabling the stool to be folded and set away, or to occupy the least possible space, which is very material when the stool is to be packed and shipped.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of my improved stools. Fig. 2 in full lines represents one of my improved stools in end view, with its seat in a horizontal plane, while the dotted lines showitin its lowei ed and raised positions. Fig. 3 represents the stool folded to be set away or tor shipment, and Fig.4 a modification.

The seat A, preferably upholstered, is connected at one side with the upper ends of the side legs, B, byhinges a, there being two such legs, one for each end of the seat. Each leg B has a foot, 0, connected with it by a hinge, c. A suitable dowel-pin, 0 on the foot enters a socket in leg B and prevents the foot twisting or turning. The side of the seat opposite that supported by the legs B has brace legs D, connected with it by a hinge, d. The lower end of each brace-leg is provided with a suitable prong, (P, or it may be a hook, as in Fig.

4,- by which the lower end of the brace-leg may be connected with the leg B in adjusted position. In Fig. 4, 1 have shown the connection between the lower end of the brace-leg and the leg B as made by a hook engaging a pin or projection, 01 preferably of a metal plate, d. As herein shown, the brace-legs D are held pressed toward legsB by an india-rubbersprin g, 0, connected at its opposite ends with suitable rounds or parts of the brace-legs and legs B.

Instead of an india-rubberspring,l mightemploy a spiral spring. The pins (1 of the bracelegs are so shaped and located with relation to the legs B that increase of weight on the seat A will increase the pressure and force of engagement of the brace-legs and legs B. Each leg B has three holes, 1 2 3, at its upper edge; or the holes may be made in a metal plate attached to the said leg, asin Fig. 4. When the pin or hook d enters the middle hole, 2, as in full lines, Fig. 1, the seat A will occupy its middle or horizontal position; but when it enters the hole 1, as in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the front of the seat, or that at the left in Fig. 2, will occupyits lowest dotted-line position, Fig. 2, and will incline downward to the lt-ft from a horizontal position, which is assumed to be the correct direction of inclination for the seat. If the pins (1 be placed in the upper holes, 3, the front edge of the seat, on which the bracelegs are hinged, will be elevated above the edge of the seat hinged to the legs B, and in such position the right-hand edge of the seat will be the lowest, as in Fig. 2, and will slope in the direction opposite that in which it sloped when the pins 0i entered the holes 1 of legs B; but to cause the seat to slope in the proper direction when in .its highest dotted-line position it is only necessary to turn the stool about, so

that the edge of the seat hinged to the legsB will be at the left instead of at the right, as in Fig. 2. which change of position of the stool, it is obvious, will so place the seat as to incline downward in the direction desired to accommodate the occupant of the stool.

When the stool is to be packed for shipment it may be folded, as in Fig. 3, so as to occupy but little room; or in its folded condition the stool may be set aside and occupy less space than when in either of its positions, Fig. 2. The spring e, keeping the brace-leg pressed toward leg B, insures the ready entrance of the pin or hook 61 into one of the holes of leg B as the seat is turned upon the hinges a. The legs B may have three or more holes, according to the number of positions into which it is desired toadjust the seat. The prong or dowelpin (1 (see Fig. 1) has a leather or india-rubber button, 1', securely attached to its end by ascrew orotherwise, and the said buttoinlarger in diameter than the pin, fits the holes or sockets 1 2, &c., of the legs closely, thereby enablingmetoentiiely dispense with thespring e, if desired, and yet hold the parts in position with certainty.

I clairn-- 1. The seat A, the front legs, B, hinged at the hack thereof, the bankwardly-projeetine feet 0, hinged at an angle to the rear laces of the said legs, and the brace-legs D, hinged at the front of the seat, depending therefrom, and adapted to engage the legs B, to support the seat at various inclinations and to permit the folding of the stool, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the seat A, the front legs, B, hinged at the bank of the said seat, the rearwardly-projeoting feet 0, hinged at an angle to the rear faces of the said legs, and the brace-legs D, depending from the front portion of the seat by hinges, and provided with selflooking pins to engage holes in the legs B, to

scribing witnesses.

JOSHUA BRIGGS. Witnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, B. J. NoYEs. 

